The famous St. Louis Zoo is winding up its multi-million dollar fund drive. And, as they have done since the zoo was founded, kids are helping raise money.

Much of that money raised will go to improve zoo displays of special interest to kids.

The total amount of money donated by kids through their schools and organizations has been totaled as yet. The overall fund drive just ended on April 1. The goal is $63 million.

Zoo officials say kids' donations are likely to continue to come in until the end of this school year.

(Young Saint Louis.com will continue to follow these fund-raising efforts by kids. We'll also cover the zoo exhibit improvements as they are completed. Be sure to watch for more articles in coming months.)

Kids have been helping to build the zoo and its collections of animals for a long time.

In 1910, local kids held penny drives to buy the zoo's first Asian elephant, Miss Jim.

From that early start, the St. Louis Zoo has continued to expand. It now includes over 740 different kinds of animals.

One current fund-raising idea draws directly from the Miss Jim campaign. Only, this time, the Zoo provided colorful cardboard banks where kids can donate "Pennies for Penguins."

In this fund drive, kids are joining with businesses, organizations and individual adults to pay for many new and expanded exhibits. New projects include the Hippo Harbor, a climate-controlled Penguin and Puffin Coast and the Fragile Forest.

There also will be improvements to the Emerson Children's Zoo, River's Edge and the Monsanto Insectarium.

The kids are using all sorts of different plans to raise money in their schools. Some classes are linking the fund-raising to such things as "dress down days" or opportunities to wear caps and even bedroom slippers to school.

One suggestion that's likely to get a lot of attention is No Homework Day.

If the kids are very successful, they can earn a lasting memorial for their class or school. If a group of kids raises at least $500, a paving brick with their group's name on it will be installed at the zoo's main entrance.

For lesser amounts, kids can earn a spot on a special honor roll in The Living World building through 2004 or be made Zoo Parents for an animal in the new exhibits. The four animals are the black rhinoceros, chimpanzee, king penguin or hippopotamus.

But, the children's' campaign includes more than fund-raising. The Zoo provided information to learn more about the Zoo and its animals.

A teacher's kit includes a variety of educational materials. These include lesson plans for animal research projects and a 32-page Children's Discovery Book about Conservation.

Much of the curriculum is designed to help kids understand about endangered animals. One class includes a research project where kids plan a new zoo exhibit.

A class is divided into research teams. They start by picking a specific animal for their zoo exhibit. The kids find out about the animal's natural habitat, what they eat and whether they live alone or in groups.

Then, they design and make a model of their exhibit.

Other projects include designing a wildlife postage stamp or creating a black-line poster. The posters could then be colored and displayed in the schools.

There's material that explains what an endangered species is. Also, there is information how the animals became endangered and how humans can reverse this.

The St. Louis Zoo maintains a Teacher Research Center year-round to help kids learn about endangered species. Also, there are websites where you can learn more about animals.

First, the Zoo has it's own website at www.stlzoo.org. Click on conservation/research to learn about programs of animals protection being done at the St. Louis Zoo.

Also, the zoo hosts another website at www.beyondzoo.org. This gives more information about research projects undertaken here and at other zoos.

Another website has been developed by the American Zoo and Aquarium Assn. It's address is www.azasweb.com. This interactive site was developed specifically to encourage kids to love and take interest in animals and nature.